The Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform cordially invites members of the media to attend Farmers’ Day that will coincide with the first harvest of the season in Bizana.
The Farmers’ Day will start with the visit to the Lukholo Maize Project at Mabula Village, which has successfully planted more than 60 hectors of land, including land that was previous not used.
The success of this Project emanates from the department’s vigorous steps in ensuring the emerging farmers are helped to plough their lands. Through a new model, after calculations that it would cost about R8 800 to plough a hector, the emerging farmers will required to at least contribute R1 800 per hector while the department will fork out the remaining R7 000.
The famers that were not able to raise the required contributions were given “soft loans” by Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA) – the loan will not incur any interest during the first 12 months and there will be discount incentive for paying the debt back before the lapse of that period.
The department once again invites members of Lukholo Maize Project as they, together with the department and the communities celebrate their endeavors in contributing towards food security in the province.
Details of the event:
Date: 23 April 2013
Venue: Mabula Village, Bizana
Time: 10am
For more information contact Departmental Spokesperson:
Ayabulela Ngoqo
Cell: 071 603 3235
Media Liaison Officer, Thozi Manyisana
Cell: 082 494 3600
